Apparatus for refining zinc.



or other contmninniing metal is thereby ire- .recting head ngniusttherelorls or rer ptw T @dli l l fii li RICHARD ZIESING, OF CLEVELAND,OHIO, ASSlGNO R OF ONE-HALF TO THE GRASSELLI CHEMICAL COMPANY, OFCLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

Al FAE ATUS 01% E-pecifieation oi. tars Patent.

EEFINXNG ZINC v Patented July 14, 1908 hriginal application filedFebruary 27, 1907, Serial. Ho. 359,607. Divided and this applicationfiled May 1907.

Serial Trio. $711,895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, RICHARD Zinsmo, n citizen of the United States of.Zlmerioo, and n resident of Cleveland, in the county of Guyn-hogo. andState of Ohio, have invented eertnin new and useful improvements inAppsrntus for Refining Zine, oi which the follow ing is n specification,the some comprising a division of my application, Serial No 359,607,filed February 27, 1907.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for refining zinc andmore pnrticw lnrly to nppziretus adapted for the separation of zinc fromsuch metals as lead and silver.

it has long been known thnt zinc may be separated from metalshavinggrentor specific gravity by reducing the :spelter to a moltencondition and allowing the heavier metal to settle out. The zinc, underthese conditions, may be distilled at n temperature which will 11 d.client the heavier metal, nlthough in practice it is iound that theprocess is i'requently accompanied hythe distilh'ition oi' appreciablepercontnges oi the contaminating metal or metals. The prior processes ofseparation have been carried. on in the ordinary or slightly modiiiedBelginn furnace and certain precautions, such. as reversoly incliningthe retorts and cooling the some, hnve boon resorted to in order toredueo the percontnge of contnminnting metal to as small on amount aswas prmitimble.

line partly to the fact that the heat is up plied l'rom below to theretorts. and the lead queutly in n state of obullition, the process ofseparating the zinc therefrom is one which must be carefully controlledby skilled employees, in order to secure sslisi'nciory results,otlwrwiso theperoenl age oi contnmhmting metal may rise to nuundesirable or prohibitiye amount. in view of the conditions requisitefor the sniisi'ni'lory separation of these metals, l: have devised onimproved zippnrntus ior prncticing the process in question.

Briefly stated, the process oonsisls in dicles from above, and suitablyshielding those ortions oi the retort containing the bud,

silver and the like from soy direct hoot, whereby the body of thecontaminating, metal ronnuus quiescent, while the other por l tions orthe retort are raised to a sui'liciently high temperatureto maintainrapid distillation of the zinc.

The preferred appartitus for practicing my improved procesis consists ofa down-draft furnace, wherein the retorts are disposed upon beds or suiporting )illers oi non-conducting material SPQClt ly formed retortsadopted to retain the bottom portions of their contents in a relativelycoo condition, may be employed in connection with my im proved furnace,

Further detnils o'l the vforegoing will readily be gathered by makingreference to the no compnnying drawings showing one moons of practicingmy invention, wherein--- Figure l is :1 transverse sectional. Viewthrough the furnace, n retort and condenser; the furnace bed beingpartially broken nwny in order to show the flue-connection. l ig. ll isn longitudinal sectional viewtnken through one section or division ofthe furnace. Fig. ill is a detiiil in longitudinal section of the flaskand rearward portion of u sell-smiling retort, and Fig. IV is nu endView of n retort specially adopted for the process herein set forth.

Throughout each of the several figures of the drawings, 1 have employedthe some character of referenceto indicate similar parts.

In the dr wings I have depicted one section of a. small lurnneeembodying my improvements and adapted lor the practice of my invention.Therein is shown a down-. drni't g ns-led furnace, wherein thedistilling retorts a are carried upon it recessed perforated bed I);said recesses I) being adopted suitably to protect the bottoms of therelorls against the distilling heat maintained in the combustion chambera. The periorntious l) in said bed connect with suh-lluos (1, leadingrenrwnrdly to the main line c eon- !1(('illl f the chihurry-stack.

Front and bncl; buck-stays f support the 'l'urnnocwulls c, and the dome(1" ol' the combustionchamber, while upon the rear bue stays a eprovided arms j" our You the gas main 5 Sold main fisprorhu-d at intervals with iulormedini'o connecting pipes g and nirnnixmxs g, openingwithin the combustion chamber.

Any suitable relortimny he employed in my improved furnace, butpreferably 1 use a retort generally oval in cross-section and providedwith thickened bottom portion; a, as shown in Fi IV. These heavy wallsin association wit vthe recesses d, which may be backed with asbestos orother suitable material, serve to shield the bottom portions of theretort against any undue heat1ng,-and protect the contained metal fromrelatively igh tem eratures Thus all tendency toward ebu lition of themetal is overcome, while the thinner upper walls of the retort permitthe penetration of heat from above to insure the surface distillation ofthe zinc. Instead of the foregoing construction, I may employ otherretorts such as the ordinaryjtypes shown on the left hand side of Fig.II, or thoseof the ty e set forthin my Patent N 0. 818,070, date .April17th, 1906, wherein the thickened bottom walls are provided with anair-shiel l or cushion, and may be cooled by the circulation of airadjacent to the bottom portions. The rear portion of the retortpreferably is provided with an opening a. for charging in the spelter,which opening normally is sealed with a plug of fire clay (1?. Or again,the opening a may extend diagonally below the normal level of the metal,as shown in Fig. III, thereby making the retort entirely sel sealing.

- Luted into the forward end of the retort, is a suitable flask or condenser h, which prefer ably is provided with an interior rim 7L adaptedto retain the zinc from flowing back, as it is distilled over from theretort, and from which the zinc may be removed from time to time. I Thecondenser is readily removed from the retort whenever it becomesnecessary to collect therefrom the accumu- 40 lated lead, silver orother contaminating ma terial. I

My improved process may now be readily explainec and understood, aspracticed with the improved furnace above described. The combustionchamber being suitably heated from above, by means of the gas burners,and the retorts belng charged with s elter to api'oximately the levelshownin t 1e drawings. l t will be appreciated that the lowermostportions of said retorts necessarily are shielded from the temperatureof the combustion chamber, which preferably is just sufficient to insurethe distillation "of zinc. This, of course, maintains the bodies ofmetal within the retorts in highly'fluid condition, and permits theheavier contaminating metal, such as lead or silver, to sink down to thelowermost portions'or grooves 17. of said retorts, -where said metalremains quiescent. On the 6 0 other hand, the surface temperature of thezinc is sufficient to cause its rapid distillation in uncontaminatedcondition, into the forwardly positioned condensers. The heat beingdirected toward the top portions of the 6-5 retorts wherein thedistillation must necessarily take place/is subject to very closeregulation, particularly when the downshaft gas furnace of my inventionis employed, and moreover the body of theretort containing the moltenlead remains relatively cool, and is subjected in lesser degree to thedestructive action -of the metal. Under these conditions, the. smallestfraction of a ercent. of contaminating metal, will be found in the purerzinc collectedin the'con- 5 densers. It will be appreciated that boththe construction of my improvedfurnace, providing f rotective shieldsrecessed tocontain as estos, groundfire-clay or other suitable magoterial, and the construction of the specified retorts, mutuallycontribute to the success'of' the. process as practiced, but either ofthese features may be inde endently employed in connection with suita lemeans for directing 35 the distilling heat from above.

By reason of the fact that the retorts inmy improved furnace aresupported throughout their entire length, as opposed to the usualsupport from the front and rear walls of the furnace, it is possible toincrease "the length and diameter of the retorts indefinitely, which ofitself serves to' economize space, fuel and labor. As thus disposed, theretorts are renderedv self-sealing against as minor perforations, orleakage, since the metal flowing through such perforation will come intocontact withv the relatively cooler body of the sup orting shield, thefire-clay or asbestos, am solidifyin seal such acc1- dental opening.Where additional horizontal rows or tiers of the retorts are to be used,however, it is preferable to employ retorts with heavy heat-resistingbottom portions, of the types herein referred to, supported from the.front and rear in the usual manner and thus saving the space otherwiserequired for separate shielding members.

The process as herein outlined, accomlishes economies in reduced costsof labor, 110 m attending the furnace, and in minimizing the destructiveaction of the lead or other metal upon the retorts, while permittinglonger continuation of the process, by re-. peated charging of theretorts.

I accordingly claim herein, the followingz- 1. In a furnace for refiningzinc, the combination with a combustion-chamber, of means associatedwith the upper portion thereof for directing heat downwardly there- 120l in, distilling-retorts disposed near the lower portion of said:chamber having relatively thin upper walls, and shields or protectivewalls associated with, and artially inclosing the same for protectingthe lower portions 125 from heat, substantially as set forth.

2. In a furnace for refining zinc, the combination with acombustion-chamber, of a recessed supporting-bed therein, retorts dis- Iposed thereon and protected partially from 1, ,0

theheat of said chamber, and means for directing-heat from aboveagainstthe retorts,

substantially asset forth-j 1 y 3. i In a furnace for refining zinc, thecombination with a combustion-chamber, of-

means for heating the same, 'retorts disposed "transversely within thechamber and 'supports for vt'he retorts within the furnace, en-

' lower .porti'onof said cham er, and shielding nienlbers for the' endsand bottom portions] thereof,wl1ereby heat is applied to the uppersurfaces of the retorts and their lower tia'lly as set forth.

means associated with the upper portion thereof-for directing heatdownwardly in saidchamber, retorts dis osed within the portions areshielded therefrom, substan-- 5. Ida furnace for refining Zinc,- the com'bination with a combustion-chamber, of

means for heating the same, vretorts disposed transversely within thechamber and supports for the. retorts within the furnace in}"self-sealing, substantially as set 'forth 6.5;In a furnace of the classdescribed, the

closing their bottom portions, whereby ac'-' cidental' perfo'rationsthereof are rendered combination, with a suitable combustion chamber,and means associated therewith for heating thesame from above,additional means for producing a down-draft therein,

distillin retortshavingl relatively thin'upper W'al sdisposed witinflthe combustionchamber, and means forlprotecti'ng the lower portionsof said -retortsfrom. the-full heat of the chamber, substantially asse'tf forth."-

7 In a furnace of the class described, the

- c0mbination'witl; a refractory combustion- 45 chamber, of retortsdisposed thereinythe bottom-portions against as set forth.

same having constricted interior bottomportions for the rece tion inquiescent state v of the heavier treate metals, meansfor heat-' ing saidretorts', and means'for shielding, the

8.. In a furnace of the class described, the combination with arefractory combustionchamber, "of associated means for highly heatingits interior, and distilling retorts mounted therein, rearward'lyprovided with mal'leVeI of ;the' molten metal; said retortsbeing-supported in. substantially a horizontal .plane,.. fwhereby theyare readily. attended, substantially as set'forth.

9. In a furnace of the class described, the combination with arefractory icombu'stion heat, substantially chargingbpenings extendingbelow the nor-' chamber, of a recessed su portingbedthere in, refractoryretorts risposed "u on the conducting away .the products of COIDbUS"tion, whereby the retorts arej'subjected to regulated heat from aboveand shielded from excessive heat from below, substantially'as set forth.

chamber, of means associated with the 11 per portion of said chamber fordirecting ieat ownwardly therein, and dist lling retorts disosed nearthe lower portion of said chamber, iiaving relatively thin'up'per'walls,and thick-,

ened lower walls for securing surface distillation, substantially assetforth. Signed at Clarksburg,

, of April, 190 7. v

j RICHARD nasnve. L. 8.

Witnesses: i JJH. STEPHENSON,

W, BowMAN.

10; In apparatus for 'refining zinc, the, combination with a furnacecombustion Va., this 15 day- .65 supporting bed above the recesses t esame" having relatively thin walls, gas burners po-, sitioned in theupper portion of thefurnace, and openings within the furnace bed for.

